Single lever control mechanism



June 18, 1968 J. A MILLER 3,388,609

SINGLE LEVER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed March 22, 1967 1 N VENIOR. JAMES A. MIL LER Unite 3,388,d09 SINGLE LEVER CDNTROL MEQHANISM James Anton Miller, Rock Island, 11]., assignor to Deere Company, Molina, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,050 6 Claims. ((11. 74471) ABSTRACT OF THE DECLUSURE Background of the invention The present invention relates to a single lever control mechanism for operating a pair of spaced apart control elements, preferably hydraulically controlled elements, and to utilize the single lever control so that it may adjust one of the control elements without effecting adjustment or movement of the other control element.

In US Patent 2,979,081 which issued to Messrs. J. E. McCanse and D. C. Ager on Apr. 11, 1961 and in US. Patent 3,131,574 which issued to Mr. J. L. Olingerman on May 5, 1964, there are shown and described single lever control mechanisms. Each of the control mechanisms shown and described therein is composed of a pair of control arms interconnected so that one of the arms may move relative to the other without efiecting movement thereof. The other of the arms is supported on a main frame support to pivot about an axis that permits the latter arm to move without efiecting movement or adjustment of the other arm. A single lever is carried on the respective arms so that movement of the arms may be manually controlled. The pivotal interconnection between the two arms is substantially at right angles to the pivotal interconnection between the one arm and the main frame or support. The ends of the respective arms are connected to spaced apart control elements which in the cases of the aforementioned patents are valve controls.

The problem that exists in either of the above-described mechanisms is that there are numerous pivotal interconnections, each of which must have some tolerance and consequently there is considerable play or looseness in the control mechanism. Since the hydraulic valve controls are, in most instances, sensitive to Slight adjustments and must be moved in a very accurate manner, this looseness or play in the basic valve control mechanism often creates a problem.

Summary of the invention With the above in mind it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a valve control mechanism for a system having at least two spaced apart control elements. The valve control mechanism will be composed of first and second control arms that have terminal ends connected to the control elements. The control arms have threaded openings aligned with one another and a threaded stud is threaded through the openings and operates as a pivot by which one of the arms may be moved angularly, relative to the axis of the stud, in respect to the other arm. The other arm is supported on a frame or support and the support and arm have axially aligned openings which are also threaded. A second stud is threaded through the States Patent 3,338,6fi9 Patented June 18, 1968 'ice openings of the frame and arm so that the latter arm may move angularly about the stud. The two studs are disposed substantially at right angles to one another and there is sufiicient spacing between the two arms about their common stud and sufiicient spacing between the one arm and the support about their common stud so that some axial movement could occur along the studs. A single lever is connected to the arms and operates to move either of the arms individually or to move both arms simultaneously. The outer ends of the arms are connected to their respective control elements by threaded studs that extend through the arms and through the control elements.

By such an arrangement in the control mechanism, any movement of the single lever on the mechanism will immediately cause adjustment of one of the control elements. There will be very little play in the entire operation since the nature of a threaded joint eliminates most of the play. Also, the joints about the studs will remain relatively tight since the threaded joints will have minimum wear.

Brief description 07 th drawings FIG. 1 is an overhead perspective view of the control mechanism.

FIG. 2 is an overhead perspective and exploded view of the various parts making up the control mechanism.

A first control element, shown partially at 10, and a second control element, shown partially at 11, may be links connected to hydraulic valves or may be links connected to mechanical-type systems. The exact use and purpose of the control elements are not of particular importance relative to the present invention. The terminal end, composed of a pair of spaced apart ears 12, 13, of a first control arm 14 is connected to the first control element 10. The upper end of the control element 10 has a threaded opening 15 that is aligned axially with threaded openings 16, 17 in the respective ears 12, 13. The threads of the openings 16, 17 must be in time so that the threads of a bolt can simultaneously be engaged with the threads of both openings 16, 17. A short threaded belt or stud 18 is threaded through the openings 15-17 and consequently the control element 19 may pivot or swivel on the stud 18. There is axial spacing between the sides of the control element 10 and the inner surfaces of the respective ears 12, 13 to permit some axial adjustment of the control element 19 during assembly to time the threads of opening 15 with the threads in openings 16, 17 and to permit some axial movement of the control element 19 in its swivel motion. A lock washer 19 is provided on the stud 18 and as the head of the bolt or stud 18 is tightened, the lock washer 19 will prevent the stud from loosening in the openings 1547.

A second control arm 21) has a terminal outer end composed of spaced apart cars 21, 22 connected to the upper portion of the universal block 79. The upper portion of the universal block 71? has a threaded opening 23 axially aligned and timed with threaded openings 24, 25 in the respective lugs 21, 22. A short stud 26 is threaded through the openings 2325 so as to permit the universal block 70 to swivel or pivot on the stud 26. A lock washer 27 is provided on the stud 26 and prevents it from slipping or loosening due to the swiveling action of the universal block 70 on the stud 26.

The universal block 7e has a lower portion composed of depending ears 71, 72. connected to the upper end of the control element 11. The upper end of the control element 11 has a threaded opening 73 axially aligned and timed with threaded openings 74, 75 in the respective lugs 71, 72. A short stud 76 is threaded through the openings 73-75 so as to permit the control element 11 to swivel or pivot on the stud 76. A lock washer '77 is provided on the stud 76 and prevents it from slipping or loosening due to the swiveling action of the control element 11 on the stud 76.

The control arm 14 is provided with a hub portion having an upwardly projecting boss section 31. The arm 14 also has an upwardly projecting lug or car 32. spaced from but generally in alignment with the lug or boss 31. The lugs 31, 32 have axially aligned and timed tapped openings 33, 34 respectively. The second arm 29 has a pair of depending lugs 37, 38 that fit on opposit sides of the lug 31. The lugs 37, 38 have axially aligned and timed tapped openings 39, 40 aligned and time with the tapped openings 33, 34. A bolt 41 is threaded through the respective openings 34, 4t 33 and 39. A lock washer 42 is provided adjacent the head of the bolt for locking the bolt against movement in respect to control arm 14. As may est be seen from viewing FIG. 1, there is axial spacing provided between. the lugs 37, 38 and the lugs 31, 32. This is provided so that some axial adjustment can be made during assembly and so that some axial movement may occur when the second arm 20 is swiveled about the axis of the stud or bolt 41.

A U-shaped support frame 45 has a horizontal underside 46 and a pair of upwardly projecting cars 47, 48. The underside 46 is provided with a pair of openings 49 through which bolts may attach the support frame 45 to a supporting structure. The cars 47, 48 are provided with axially aligned and timed tapped openings 50, 51 respectively that are axially aligned with the hub portion 30 of the first control arm 14. The hub 30 has a central threaded opening 52 and a bolt 53 is threaded through the respective openings 5tl52. Again a lock washer 54 is provided to fix the bolt 53 against movement in respect to frame 45 and to prevent the bolt 53 from becoming loose or threading out of the respective openings. There is sufficient spacing between the ends of the hub portion 30 and the inner surfaces of the cars 47, 48 to permit sufficient axial adjustment during assembly and to permit sufiicient axial movement of the hub 30 on the bolt 53 so that the control arm 14 may swivel relative to the bolt 53.

A single manual control lever, shown only partially at 60, is connected to the upper side of the second control arm 20 substantially directly above the bolt 41. As may be readily appreciated, movement of the control lever 60 at right angles to the stud 41 causes the control element 11 to move vertically. Movement of the control lever 60 at right angles to the stud or bolt 53 causes the control element 10 to move vertically. The control lever 10 may move in a direction having components at right angles to the studs 53, 41 and consequently cause vertical adjustment of both control elements 10, 11 with a single adjustment of the control lever.

I claim:

1. A valve control mechanism for a system having at least two spaced apart control elements one of said elements being olfset to the other, comprising: a first control arm extending from a first of said control elements; a second control arm extending from a second of said valve control elements, the first and second control arms having threaded openings axially aligned with one another; a first threaded stud threaded through the openings for pivotally interconnecting the control arms whereby said second control arm may adjust its respective control element by movement about the stud axis; a support frame; axially aligned threaded openings in the frame and first arm; a second threaded stud threaded through the openings in the frame an first arm for pivotally mounting the first control arm on the frame whereby the first arm may adjust its respective control element by movement about the axis of the second stud; and a manual control lever mounted on said control arms effective in movement in one direction to adjust said second control arm abut the axis of the first stud and in movement in a second direction to adjust said first control arm about the axis of the second stud.

2. The structure .as set forth in claim 1 in which the frame has a pair of spaced lugs and the openings in the frame are aligned threaded openings in the lugs, the first arm has a hub portion disposed between the lugs and the threaded opening in the first arm is a threaded axial opening in the hub aligned with the threaded openings of the lugs and the second stud extends through the lugs and axial opening.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 in which there is axial spacing between the ends of the hub and the ears to permit axial movement of the hub as the lever pivots the first arms on the second stud.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the first and second control arms are axially spaced apart along the first stud to permit relative angular movement between the first and second arms on the first stud and the first armis axially spaced from the support frame along the second stud to permit angular movement of the first arm on the second stud.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the control elements are pivotally connected to the respective arms by threaded studs that are threaded through threaded openings in the respective arms and the control elements.

6. A valve control mechanism for a system having at least two spaced apart control elements one of said elements being offset to the other, comprising: a first control arm extending from a first of said control elements; a second control arm ext-ending from a second of said valve control elements, the first and second control arms having openings axially aligned with one another with the 0penings of the second member being threaded; a first threaded stud extending through the openings for pivotally interconnecting the control arms, the stud being fixed against rotation in respect to the first member and being threadedly received in the threaded opening of the second member whereby said second control arm may adjust its respective control element by movement about the stud axis; a support frame; axially aligned openings in the frame and first arm with the opening in the first arm being threaded; a second threaded stud extending through the openings in the frame and first arm for pivotally mounting the first control arm on the frame, the second stud being fixed against movement in respect to the frame and being threadedly received in the threaded opening of the first arm whereby the first arm may adjust its respective control element by movement about the axis of the second stud; and a manual control lever mounted on said control arms effective in movement in one direction to adjust said second control arm about the axis of the first stud and in movement in a second direction to adjust said first control arm about the axis of the second stud.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1937 Leighton 287- 5/1964 Clingerman 74-471 

